Temperature control assembly for an electronic system

Abstract

A temperature control assembly includes a TEC including a top surface and a bottom surface. A thermally conductive layer includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the thermally conductive layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the TEC. The bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer includes a planar region. The planar region of the thermally conductive layer is to be positioned over two or more electronic devices of a plurality of electronic devices of an electronic system to transfer thermal energy at the two or more electronic devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a temperature control component, and more specifically, to a temperature control component for an electronic system. Background Technology

[0002] The memory subsystem may contain one or more memory components for storing data. Memory components may be, for example, non-volatile memory components and volatile memory components. Generally, the host system can utilize the memory subsystem to store data at the memory components and retrieve data from the memory components. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One aspect of this disclosure relates to a device comprising: a first thermoelectric component (TEC) including a top surface and a bottom surface, the first TEC being configured to simultaneously raise the temperature of the top surface of the first TEC and lower the temperature of the bottom surface, or simultaneously lower the temperature of the top surface and raise the temperature of the bottom surface, based on a voltage potential applied to the first TEC, to transfer thermal energy between the top surface and the bottom surface of the first TEC; a heat transfer component including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the heat transfer component is coupled to the bottom surface of the first TEC; a second TEC including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the second TEC is coupled to the bottom surface of the heat transfer component; and a heat conduction layer including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the heat conduction layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the second TEC, wherein the bottom surface of the heat conduction layer includes a planar region, and wherein the planar region of the heat conduction layer is positioned above two or more of a plurality of electronic devices of an electronic system to transfer the thermal energy at the two or more electronic devices.

[0004] Another aspect of this disclosure relates to a system for testing multiple electronic devices under various thermal conditions, the system comprising: an electronic system including the plurality of electronic devices; and a temperature control component positioned above two or more of the plurality of electronic devices and transferring heat energy at the two or more electronic devices, the temperature control component including: a first thermoelectric component (TEC) including a top surface and a bottom surface, the first TEC being configured to simultaneously raise the temperature of the top surface of the first TEC and lower the temperature of the bottom surface, or simultaneously lower the temperature of the top surface and raise the temperature of the bottom surface, based on a voltage potential applied to the first TEC, to [the condition of the top surface of the first TEC]. The heat transfer assembly includes a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the heat transfer assembly is coupled to the bottom surface of the first TEC; a second TEC includes a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the second TEC is coupled to the bottom surface of the heat transfer assembly; and a heat conduction layer includes a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the heat conduction layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the second TEC, wherein the bottom surface of the heat conduction layer includes a planar region, and wherein the planar region of the heat conduction layer is positioned above two or more of the plurality of electronic devices to transfer the heat at the two or more electronic devices.

[0005] Another aspect of this disclosure relates to a device comprising: a first thermoelectric assembly (TEC) including a top surface and a bottom surface, the first TEC being configured to simultaneously raise the temperature of the top surface of the first TEC and lower the temperature of the bottom surface, or simultaneously lower the temperature of the top surface and raise the temperature of the bottom surface, based on a voltage potential applied to the first TEC, to transfer thermal energy between the top surface and the bottom surface of the first TEC; a heat transfer assembly including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the heat transfer assembly is coupled to the bottom surface of the first TEC; a second TEC including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the second TEC is coupled to the bottom surface of the heat transfer assembly; and a heat conduction layer including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the heat conduction layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the second TEC, wherein the bottom surface of the heat conduction layer includes a planar region and a notched region, wherein the planar region intersects the notched region, and wherein the notched region includes a void in the heat conduction layer extending vertically from the planar region toward the top surface of the heat conduction layer. Attached Figure Description

[0006] This disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description given below and the accompanying drawings of various embodiments thereof. However, the drawings should not be construed as limiting this disclosure to the particular embodiments, but are for explanation and understanding only.

[0007] Figure 1 An example environment is shown for allocating test resources to perform tests on electronic devices, such as memory components, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 2A A temperature control component is shown in a folded view according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2B A temperature control component is shown in an enlarged view according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2C Alternative temperature control components are shown in a folded view according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2D Another alternative temperature control component is shown in a folded view according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 3A A thermal chamber in a closed position is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 3B A thermal chamber in the open position is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 4A An enlarged view of a thermal testing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0015] Figure 4B A thermal testing system is shown in a folded view according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a block diagram of an example computer system in which embodiments of this disclosure may operate. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Various aspects of this disclosure relate to a temperature control assembly for an electronic system. During conventional thermal testing, electronic devices may be placed in a chamber (i.e., a furnace) that tests the devices under various temperature conditions. For example, a single chamber may be used to test components of multiple memory subsystems simultaneously at a specific temperature. Hot or cold gases may be pumped into the chamber to control the temperature of the chamber and the electronic devices therein. The testing process may indicate various operations to be performed on the electronic devices at a specific temperature. Such operations may include, but are not limited to, read, write, or erase operations. The performance and behavior of the electronic devices can be observed or measured while the testing process is being performed. For example, performance characteristics (e.g., read or write latency) and reliability of data stored on memory components may be measured and recorded during the testing process. However, because the chamber can only apply a single temperature to all electronic devices at any given time, testing the electronic devices at many different temperatures can be time-consuming, as a testing process will need to be performed for each desired temperature. Furthermore, all components of the system within the chamber are controlled to the same temperature, and in some cases, only a subset of the system's components need to be tested at a particular temperature. Additionally, only a single testing process can be performed at a time within the chamber. Therefore, if the testing process for an electronic device requires many different conditions, performing different tests on the electronic device under different operating conditions (e.g., different temperatures) can take a lot of time.

[0018] A thermoelectric component (TEC) (also known as a "thermoelectric cooler") converts electrical energy into heat energy and vice versa. A TEC may consist of two surfaces. When a voltage potential is applied to the TEC, one surface heats up while the other surface cools down simultaneously. In some conventional systems, thermoelectric components can be directly applied to objects such as one or more electronic devices in an electronic system to change the object's temperature. However, in some cases, the TEC's shape is not conducive to transferring heat energy to one or more electronic devices. Additionally, in some cases, applying a single TEC to an electrical device may not transfer sufficient heat energy to meet the temperature testing range of some thermal testing conditions. Furthermore, an electronic system may contain multiple electronic devices coupled to a circuit board. These multiple electronic devices may have different vertical heights. Using one or more planar TECs to contact all or a desired subset of the electronic devices may not be feasible.

[0019] In some conventional systems, two TECs of different sizes can be stacked directly on top of each other to remove excess heat. However, in addition to the challenges mentioned above, stacking two TECs on top of each other can be inefficient and often insufficient to transfer enough heat to meet the temperature testing range of electrical installations.

[0020] Various aspects of this disclosure address the above and other challenges by providing temperature control components implemented and coupled to one or more TECs in a heat-conducting layer. The heat-conducting layer includes a bottom surface comprising planar regions. These planar regions of the heat-conducting layer can be positioned above one or more electronic devices in an electronic system to transfer heat to those devices.

[0021] In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the heat-conducting layer includes one or more notched regions. Planar regions intersect with the notched regions. The notched regions include voids or air gaps such that the notched regions are not thermally coupled to electronic devices directly beneath them. The planar and notched regions of the bottom surface of the heat-conducting layer allow temperature control components to transfer heat to some of the electronic devices in the electronic system while isolating other electronic devices from heat transfer.

[0022] In some embodiments, planar regions of the thermally conductive layer may be coupled to a thermal pad. In some embodiments, the thermal pad is compressible and thermally conductive. The thermal pad allows temperature control components, particularly planar regions of the thermally conductive layer, to be thermally coupled to electronic devices with different vertical heights.

[0023] In some embodiments, the temperature control assembly includes an upper TEC, which includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The temperature control assembly also includes a heat transfer assembly, which includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the upper TEC is coupled to the top surface of the heat transfer assembly. The temperature control assembly includes a lower TEC. The top surface of the lower TEC is coupled to the bottom surface of the heat transfer assembly. The temperature control assembly includes a heat-conducting layer having a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the heat-conducting layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the lower TEC. The bottom surface of the heat-conducting layer includes a planar region positioned above two or more electronic devices of the electronic system to transfer heat energy at the electronic devices.

[0024] The advantages of this disclosure include, but are not limited to, providing a temperature control component that allows for efficient heat transfer between the temperature control component and one or more electronic devices in an electronic system. Furthermore, multiple temperature control components can be implemented to independently control the thermal conditions at the respective electronic systems, allowing for more efficient testing of electronic devices under varying thermal conditions. Additionally, aspects of this disclosure can apply thermal conditions over a wider and lower temperature range than conventional testing systems. Many different tests on electrical devices can be performed more quickly, and the reliability of electrical devices can be improved because any potential defects or flaws can be identified and subsequently addressed in the design or manufacture of the electrical device.

[0025] Figure 1This illustration depicts an example environment for allocating test resources to perform tests on electronic devices, such as memory components, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Test platform 100 may include one or more racks 110A, 110B, and 110N. Each of racks 110A, 110B, and 110N may include multiple frames 120, each frame 120 containing one or more thermal chambers. Test platform 100 may include any number of racks or thermal chambers.

[0026] In some embodiments, a thermal chamber may enclose an electronic system within its cavity. The electronic system may have one or more electronic devices. In some embodiments, multiple electronic devices are coupled to a circuit board to form the electronic system. In some embodiments, the electronic devices may be discrete components housed in a package (e.g., a ceramic encapsulation material). The encapsulation material may have external pins, solder bumps, or terminals that connect on-chip or die-on components to off-chip or off-die components (e.g., power supplies, other components on the circuit board, etc.).

[0027] As shown, frame 120 may include one or more thermal chambers. For example, frame 120 may include a first thermal chamber 121, a second thermal chamber 122, and a third thermal chamber 123. Although three thermal chambers are shown, frame 120 may include any number of thermal chambers. Additionally, each thermal chamber may be fitted with a temperature control component for applying temperature conditions to one or more electronic devices within an electronic system. For example, the temperature control component may be thermally coupled to the package of an electronic device in a memory subsystem to adjust the package temperature or die temperature to a desired temperature value within a temperature range. In some embodiments, the temperature control component may be used to apply a localized temperature to a corresponding electronic device in a particular electronic system, a temperature different from the temperature applied by another temperature control component to other corresponding electronic devices in another electronic system located at the same or different frames 120. For example, a first temperature control component may apply a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius to an electronic device in a particular memory subsystem, and another temperature control component located adjacent to the first temperature control component may apply a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius to other electronic devices in another memory subsystem located at the same frame 120.

[0028] In some embodiments, the temperature control component may include one or more thermoelectric elements (TECs). In some embodiments, the temperature control component including one or more TECs may utilize the Peltier effect to apply heating or cooling effects to electronic devices of an electronic system coupled to the temperature control component. For example, the bottom portion of the temperature control component may be coupled to the package of the electronic device of the electronic system to transfer heat energy to and from the electronic device. In some embodiments, the thermoelectric element may be a Peltier device. In some embodiments, the thermoelectric element may include an array of alternating n-type and p-type semiconductors disposed between two plates, such as two ceramic plates. A voltage applied to the thermoelectric element causes one plate to cool while the other plate heats up.

[0029] As shown, each test rack 110A, 110B, and 110N may include multiple frames 120. Each of the frames 120 in a particular test rack may be coupled to a local test component. For example, each test rack 110A, 110B, and 110N may include local test components 111A, 111B, and 111N, respectively. Each of the local test components 111A, 111B, and 111N may receive instructions to perform a test or a portion of a test to be performed in the thermal chamber of the respective test rack. For example, a resource allocator component 130 may receive (e.g., from a user) the conditions of the test to be performed, and the resource allocator component 130 may determine a specific thermal chamber on a different frame 120 in one or more of the test racks 110A, 110B, and 110N that can be used by the test. In some embodiments, the resource allocator component 130 may be provided by a server 131. In some embodiments, server 131 is a computing device or system coupled via a network to local test components 111A, 111B, and 111N.

[0030] Temperature control components for each thermal chamber 121, 122, and 123 of each frame 120 can be used to apply different temperature conditions to the corresponding electronic system. Furthermore, a communication channel can be formed between each electronic system in each thermal chamber and the server 131. For example, the server 131 can control each electronic system so that each electronic system performs different operations under different thermal conditions.

[0031] Resource allocator component 130 may receive test input from a user. The test input may specify the conditions for a test to be performed using one or more electronic systems. For example, the test may specify specific temperature conditions to be applied to a memory component of a memory subsystem, and a sequence of operations to be performed on the memory component under those specific temperature conditions. Resource allocator 130 may retrieve a data structure that identifies available thermal chambers on test platform 100 and the characteristics of those chambers and the electronic systems therein. Resource allocator component 130 may then assign a thermal chamber at test platform 100 containing electronic devices (e.g., embedded memory components) that match or satisfy the test conditions. Resource allocator component 130 may then transmit instructions to a local test component containing the thermal chamber to be tested.

[0032] In some embodiments, a hot chamber may include one or more ports. The one or more ports may expose a chamber within the hot chamber. Electronic devices of an electronic system may be accessed from the one or more ports. In some embodiments, the one or more ports are configured to receive a temperature control component. In some embodiments, the bottom portion of the temperature control component extends within the chamber of the hot chamber and is coupled to a corresponding electronic device. For example, the top portion of a temperature control component, such as a heat sink, may extend above the hot chamber. In some embodiments, the temperature control component may be coupled to the hot chamber. In some embodiments, the hot chamber may be used to hold the temperature control component in place. In some embodiments, the hot chamber may align the temperature control component with a corresponding electronic device such that the bottom portion of the temperature control component can be coupled to the corresponding electronic device. Multiple temperature control components may simultaneously apply different temperatures to the electronic system within the hot chamber. The following at least relates to... Figures 3A to 3B and Figures 4A to 4B Further description of the thermal chamber.

[0033] Figures 2A to 2D A temperature control component according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2A A temperature control component is shown in a folded view according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2B A temperature control component is shown in an enlarged view according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2C Alternative temperature control components are shown in a folded view according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2DAnother alternative temperature control assembly is shown in a folded view according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For illustrative purposes and not for limitation, the temperature control assembly 200 is shown as having several elements. In other embodiments, the temperature control assembly 200 may include the same, different, fewer, or additional elements. For illustrative purposes and not for limitation, the temperature control assembly 200 is shown having relative positional relationships, such as top, bottom, front, and end. It can be noted that other positional relationships are assigned to the temperature control assembly 200 and its elements within the scope of this disclosure.

[0034] A thermoelectric component (TEC) (also known as a “thermoelectric cooler”) converts electrical energy into heat energy and vice versa. A TEC may comprise two surfaces. When a voltage potential is applied to the TEC, one surface heats up while the other, opposite surface, cools down simultaneously. The heat generated by the TEC at one surface can be more than the heat dissipated by the TEC at the opposite surface. For example, for every 1 degree Celsius decrease in temperature at the first surface of the TEC, approximately 3 degrees Celsius is generated at the opposite surface. Because the TEC generates disproportionate heat for each degree of cooling, removing more heat from one surface while cooling an electronic device with the opposite surface can be challenging. This challenge is particularly acute when testing electronic devices at extremely low temperatures, as the heat generated is multiples of the heat removed. In some embodiments, a single TEC may not be sufficient to transfer enough heat to meet the temperature testing range of the electronic device. In other embodiments, a single TEC may be sufficient to achieve the desired thermal testing conditions. In some embodiments, one or more TECs may be implemented, and the number and location of the TECs may be determined, for example, based on design considerations and the desired thermal testing conditions.

[0035] In some embodiments, the temperature control assembly 200 includes a thermoelectric component (TEC) 202. In embodiments, a TEC such as TEC 202 may act as a heat pump to deliver heat to or remove heat from a surface. TEC 202 includes two surfaces 204, namely a top surface 204A and a bottom surface 204B. For example, a TEC such as TEC 202 is configured to simultaneously raise the temperature of the top surface (e.g., top surface 204A) and lower the temperature of the bottom surface (e.g., bottom surface 204B) based on a voltage potential applied to the TEC, or simultaneously lower the temperature of the top surface (e.g., top surface 204A) and raise the temperature of the bottom surface (e.g., bottom surface 204B). In some embodiments, TECs such as TEC 202 and TEC 210 include a set of wires to couple the voltage potential to the TEC and deliver the necessary current to the TEC. The heat removed or delivered to the surface may be controlled by the surface area of ​​the TEC and / or the power supplied to the TEC. For example, if the heat transfer capacity of TEC 210 is twice that of TEC 202, then the surface area of ​​TEC 210 can be twice that of TEC 202, such that the heat transfer capacity of TEC 210 is at least twice that of TEC 202. Alternatively, TEC 210 can have a similar surface area to TEC 202, but be supplied with twice the power and have twice the heat transfer capacity.

[0036] In one embodiment, the temperature control assembly 200 includes a TEC 210. The TEC 210 may include two surfaces 212, such as a top surface 212A and a bottom surface 212B. In one embodiment, the bottom surface 212B is coupled to the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206.

[0037] In some embodiments, the surface areas of TEC 210 and TEC 202 may have any ratio (e.g., 1:1, 2:1, 1:2, etc.). In some embodiments, TEC 210 has a larger surface area than TEC 202. In some embodiments, TEC 210 is sized to efficiently transfer heat away from TEC 202 under desired thermal conditions.

[0038] In some embodiments, one or more of TEC 210 or TEC 202 may comprise one or more TECs. For example, TEC 202 may comprise two additional TECs distributed above the heat conduction layer 214 and coupled to the heat transfer assembly 206. In some embodiments, a single-level TEC may be implemented. For example, in some embodiments, TEC 210 and heat transfer assembly 206 are not implemented, and TEC 202 may be coupled to surface 222B of the heat sink 220. TEC 202 may comprise any number of TECs at the specific level.

[0039] For illustrative purposes and not for limitation, TEC 202 and TEC 210 are shown in specific shapes. In some embodiments, one or more of TEC 210 or TEC 202 may be of any shape or size, such as a circular TEC, a rectangular TEC, a square TEC, etc. In some embodiments, the shape of one or more of the selected TECs may be based on the surface shape of electronic device 250 or the shape of electronic system 252. Electronic devices 250A to 250E are generally referred to herein as "electronic device 250". For example, if electronic system 252 is rectangular in shape, with multiple electronic devices aligned in a row, then rectangular TECs (at least for TEC 202) shaped to couple to electronic device 250 of electronic system 252 can help to efficiently transfer heat to and from electronic device 250. It can be noted that TECs of different shapes are used within the scope of this disclosure.

[0040] In some embodiments, temperature control assembly 200 includes heat transfer assembly 206. In some embodiments, heat transfer assembly 206 efficiently conducts heat energy from the surface of one TEC to the opposite surface of another TEC. For example, to cool electronic device 250 in a test, the bottom surface 204B of TEC 202 removes heat energy (e.g., hot energy) from the top surface of electronic device 250. The top surface 204A of TEC 202 simultaneously generates heat energy, which is transferred via heat transfer assembly 206 to the bottom surface 212B of TEC 210. TEC 210 can remove the received heat energy at the bottom surface 212B of TEC 210. The top surface 212A of TEC 219 can generate heat energy, which is transferred to heat sink 220 and dissipated in the surrounding environment.

[0041] In some embodiments, the heat transfer assembly 206 is made of or constructed of a thermally conductive material. The thermally conductive material includes, but is not limited to, copper, aluminum, brass, or alloys of the foregoing. It may be noted that other thermally conductive materials may be used. It may also be noted that materials with higher thermal conductivity (k) can transfer heat between TEC 202 and TEC 210 more efficiently.

[0042] In some embodiments, the heat transfer assembly 206 includes at least two surfaces 208, including a top surface 208A and a bottom surface 208B. The bottom surface 208B of the heat transfer assembly 206 is coupled to the top surface 204A of the TEC 202. The top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206 is coupled to the bottom surface 212B of the TEC 210.

[0043] In some embodiments, the heat transfer assembly 206 may be coupled to the surface of adjacent components using a thermal interface material, such as a thermally conductive adhesive, thermal grease, phase change material, thermal tape, thermal pad, thermal epoxy resin, etc. For example, the thermal interface material may be disposed between the top surface 204A of the TEC 202 and the bottom surface 208B of the heat transfer assembly 206, and between the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206 and the bottom surface 212B of the TEC 210. In some embodiments, the thermal interface material may have a minimum electrical conductivity of at least 150 W / m Kelvin (W / mK) or greater.

[0044] In some embodiments, the top surface 208A and bottom surface 208B of the heat transfer assembly 206 may have any number of shapes or sizes. In some embodiments, the heat transfer assembly 206 is tapered such that the top surface 208A and bottom surface 208B are aligned with the surfaces of adjacent TECs (i.e., TEC 210 and TEC 202), respectively. In some embodiments, the top surface 208A and bottom surface 208B of the heat transfer assembly 206 are sized to match or be close in size to the surfaces of the respective TECs. In some embodiments, the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206 may be of any shape. In some embodiments, the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206 may be larger than and / or smaller than the surface 212B of the TEC 210. For example, the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206 may be larger than the bottom surface 212B of the TEC 210 such that the edge of the TEC 210 does not extend over any of the edges of the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206. In another example, the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206 may be larger than the bottom surface 212B of the TEC 210 along one axis, but smaller than the bottom surface 212B of the TEC 210 along another axis. For example, the TEC 210 may be longer but narrower than the top surface 208A of the heat transfer assembly 206. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 208B of the heat transfer assembly 206 may be of any shape. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 208B of the heat transfer assembly 206 may be larger than and / or smaller than the surface 204A of the TEC 202.

[0045] In some embodiments, the heat transfer component 206 may be stepped, as shown. In other embodiments, the heat transfer component 206 may have different shapes, such as a planar pyramid shape that gradually narrows from the top surface to the bottom surface. In some embodiments, the shape of the heat transfer component 206 may be partially based on the shape of the TECs that contact the surfaces of the heat transfer component 206. For example, in embodiments using circular TECs, the shape of the heat transfer component 206 may be conical or cylindrical, wherein the bottom and top surfaces of the heat transfer component 206 are circular. In some embodiments, the thickness of the heat transfer component 206 (between surface 208A and surface 208B) is greater than or equal to the thickness of one of TEC 202 or TEC 210.

[0046] In some embodiments, the temperature control assembly 200 may include a heat-conducting layer 214. The heat-conducting layer 214 may include a top surface 216A and a bottom surface 216B. In one embodiment, the top surface 216A of the heat-conducting layer 214 is coupled to the bottom surface 204B of the TEC 202. In some embodiments, the heat-conducting layer 214 can transfer heat energy from the bottom surface 204B of the TEC 202 to the bottom surface 216B of the heat-conducting layer 214.

[0047] In some embodiments, the bottom surface 216B of the thermally conductive layer 214 includes planar regions 260A and 260B (generally referred to herein as "planar region 260"). Planar region 260 may be positioned above one or more electronic devices 250 of the electronic system 252 (e.g., electronic devices 250A, 250B, 250C, and 250E) to transfer heat to the underlying electronic device 250. For example, the bottom surface 216B of the thermally conductive layer 214 may be positioned to couple with the top surface of the package of the electronic device 250 of the electronic system 252, such that the package temperature of the electronic device 250 or the on-chip temperature of the electronic device 250 is controlled to a desired temperature.

[0048] In some embodiments, the bottom surface 216B of the heat-conducting layer 214 may include one or more notched regions, such as notched region 262. In some embodiments, the notched region 262 may be configured such that one or more electronic devices (e.g., electronic device 250D) of the electronic system 252 located directly below the notched region 262 are not coupled to the heat-conducting layer 214. The notched region 262 may allow an air gap between the underlying electronic device and the heat-conducting layer 214, so that heat energy is not transferred between the heat-conducting layer 214 and the electronic device below the notched region 262.

[0049] In some embodiments, the planar region 260 intersects with the notched region 262. The notched region 262 may include a void in the heat-conducting layer 214, extending vertically from the planar region 260 toward the top surface 216A of the heat-conducting layer 214. In some embodiments, the notched region 262 does not vertically intersect the heat-conducting layer 214 from the bottom surface 216B through the top surface 216A (e.g., dividing the heat-conducting layer 214 into two parts). The notched region 262 may leave a portion of the heat-conducting layer 214 above the notched region, such that the heat-conducting layer 214 is a continuous block that efficiently conducts heat.

[0050] In some embodiments, the heat-conducting layer 214 includes four sides, such as a front side, a rear side, a first end, and a second end. A notched region 262 may extend from the front side to the rear side of the heat-conducting layer 214, as shown. In some embodiments, a planar region 260 of the bottom surface 216B of the heat-conducting layer 214 intersects with the notched region 262 to form planar regions 260A and 260B. Planar regions 260A and 260B may be oriented parallel to a plane and oriented at the same vertical distance from the plane. In some embodiments, the notched region 262 of the heat-conducting layer 214 is positioned above at least one electronic device 250 of the electronic system 252 to isolate the respective electronic device 250 (e.g., electronic device 150D) from heat transfer.

[0051] In some embodiments, the notched region 262 may be located at any position along the bottom surface 216B of the thermally conductive layer 214. For example, the notched region 262 may be at an end of the thermally conductive layer 214. In some embodiments, the notched region 262 may be of any size, have any dimensions, and be located at any position relative to the thermally conductive layer 214. In some embodiments, one or more of the size, dimensions, and location of the notched region 262 may be determined based on the location and size of the underlying electronic device that does not require heat transfer.

[0052] In one embodiment, the thermally conductive layer 214 may be coupled to the TEC 202 using a thermal interface material, as described above. In another embodiment, the thermally conductive layer 214 is composed of or made of a thermally conductive material, as described above.

[0053] In some embodiments, the top surface 216A of the thermally conductive layer 214 may have approximately the same size and shape as the bottom surface 204B of the TEC 202. In some embodiments, the size and shape of the surface 216 of the thermally conductive layer 214 may be based on the size and shape of the top surface (e.g., the contact surface) of the electronic device 250. For example, the thermally conductive layer 214 may be shaped such that the bottom surface 216B is coupled to most (if not all) (in some cases, more than the top surface of the electronic device) of the electronic device 250. In some embodiments, the size of the top surface 216A of the thermally conductive layer 214 is approximately the same as, or larger than, the bottom surface 204B of the TEC 202. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 216B of the thermally conductive layer 214 may have the same size and shape as the top surface 216A of the thermally conductive layer 214. For example, the thermally conductive layer 214 may be a cube or a rectangle. In some embodiments, the heat-conducting layer 214 may gradually narrow in one direction or another, for example from the top surface 216A to the bottom surface 216B, or vice versa. It can be noted that the shape of the heat-conducting layer 214 may be at least partially based on the shape of the TEC 202, the electronic device 250, or the electronic system 252.

[0054] In some embodiments, the thermally conductive layer 214 may be an optional element, and the TEC 202 may be coupled to the electronic device 250 to transfer heat to and from the electronic device 250.

[0055] In some embodiments, the temperature control assembly 200 may include one or more thermal sensing devices 218. In some embodiments, the thermal sensing devices 218 may be disposed or embedded within the thermally conductive layer 214. The thermal sensing devices 218 may be located within the thermally conductive layer 214 such that the temperature sensing surface of the thermal sensing device 218 is very close to the bottom surface 216B of the thermally conductive layer 214. In some embodiments, one or more thermal sensing devices 218 may be distributed across the thermally conductive layer 214. The thermal sensing devices 218 can be used to measure the temperature applied to the package of the electronic device 250, which can effectively represent the temperature at the package of the electronic device 250 due to the low thermal resistance (k) of the thermally conductive layer 214. In embodiments, the thermal sensing devices 218 may include any temperature sensing device, such as a thermocouple, a capacitive temperature sensing device, a resistive temperature sensing device, etc. In embodiments, the thermal sensing devices 218 may include a set of wires to couple each thermal sensing device 218 to a measurement unit to measure the output of the thermal sensing device 218.

[0056] In some embodiments, the bottom surface 216B of the thermally conductive layer 214 may comprise a thermal interface material disposed between the thermally conductive layer 214 and the underlying electronic device 250 of the electronic system 252. In some embodiments, the thermal interface material may be one or more of the following: flexible, thermally conductive, compressible, electrically insulating, reusable, and capable of recovering its original shape (e.g., properties) after compression. An example of an interface material having one or more of the aforementioned properties may be a thermal pad. In some embodiments, the vertical height of the electronic device 250 of the electronic system 252 may vary. To couple to electronic devices 250 with different heights, a thermal pad may be disposed between the thermally conductive layer 214 and the electronic device 250 to compensate for the different heights and allow efficient heat transfer between the thermally conductive layer 214 and the electronic device 250. The thermal pad may be compressed between the thermally conductive layer 215 and the encapsulation of the electronic device 250, thereby forming a physical contact between the thermal pad and the underlying electronic device 250, which enables thermal coupling between the thermally conductive layer 215 and the electronic device 250 with different heights.

[0057] In some embodiments, the thermal pad 264 may be applied at least to a planar region 260 of the thermally conductive layer 214. For example, the thermal pad 264 includes thermal pads 264A and 264B corresponding to planar regions 260A and 260B, respectively. In some embodiments, the thermal pad 264 may include a top surface 266A and a bottom surface 266B. The top surface 266A of the thermal pad 264 may be coupled (e.g., bonded) to at least the planar region 260 of the bottom surface 216B of the thermally conductive layer 214.

[0058] In some embodiments, electronic system 252 may have one or more electronic devices, as shown in electronic device 250. Electronic system 252 is shown as a solid-state driver in M.2 form factor. In other embodiments, electronic system 252 may be any type of electronic system or may have any size. In some embodiments, the electronic device is mounted to an electronic circuit board. In some embodiments, one or more of electronic device 250 and electronic circuit board are included in electronic system 252. In some embodiments, one or more of electronic device 250 may include one or more temperature sensing devices, such as on-chip temperature sensing devices. Due to the thermal resistance of the package, the on-chip temperature may differ from the package temperature of electronic device 250. Temperature measurements from the on-chip temperature sensing device, the thermal sensing device 218 of the thermally conductive layer 214, or both can be used to perform thermal testing on electronic device 250.

[0059] In some embodiments, the temperature control assembly 200 may include a heat sink 220. The heat sink 220 may include a top surface 222A and a bottom surface 222B. In one embodiment, the top surface 222A may have a larger surface area than the bottom surface 222B to help facilitate heat transfer from the heat sink 220 to the adjacent medium. In one embodiment, the bottom surface 222B of the heat sink 220 is coupled to the top surface 212A of the TEC 210 to transfer heat from the TEC 210 to the heat sink 220. In some embodiments, the heat sink 220 and the TEC 210 are coupled using a thermal interface material, as described above. In one embodiment, the heat sink 220 is made of a thermally conductive material, as described above.

[0060] In some embodiments, the radiator 220 is a passive mechanical device. In one embodiment, the top surface 222A of the radiator 220 includes a plurality of channels and a plurality of fins disposed on opposite sides of the channels. In other embodiments, the radiator 220 may be another type of radiator, such as a liquid-cooled radiator.

[0061] In some embodiments, the heat sink 220 includes one or more attachment members 224. In some embodiments, the attachment members can be used to secure the temperature control assembly 200 to the hot chamber. In some embodiments, the attachment member 224 is configured to receive an adjustable coupling member 226, which can adjustably couple the temperature control assembly 200 to the hot chamber. In some embodiments, the adjustable coupling member may include a spring element that allows adjustment of the vertical position of the temperature control assembly 200 mounted to the hot chamber.

[0062] In some embodiments, the temperature control assembly 200 may include a fan, such as an electric fan 228. In one embodiment, the electric fan 228 is positioned above the top surface 222A of the heat sink 220 and is used to transfer heat from the heat sink 220 to an adjacent medium, such as the local gaseous medium of the temperature control assembly 200. The electric fan 228 may include a set of wires coupled to a voltage potential.

[0063] For illustrative purposes and not for limitation, a single heat transfer assembly 206 is shown. In other embodiments, multiple heat transfer assemblies 206 may be used. For example, additional heat transfer assemblies may be stacked on the top surface 212A of the TEC 210. The additional heat transfer assemblies may be larger than heat transfer assembly 206. For example, the bottom surface of the additional heat transfer assembly may have approximately the same size as the top surface 212A of the TEC 210. The additional heat transfer assembly may taper such that the top surface of the additional heat transfer assembly is larger than the bottom surface. In one embodiment, the top surface of the additional heat transfer assembly may be coupled to a TEC larger than the TEC 210 (e.g., with a larger surface area). In other embodiments, any number of additional heat transfer assemblies or TECs may be implemented.

[0064] exist Figure 2C In this configuration, temperature control assembly 270 uses a single-layer TEC, such as TEC 272. The heat transfer layer 274 does not contain any notches. Temperature control assembly 270 does not implement a second-layer TEC or heat transfer assembly. Figure 2D In this embodiment, temperature control assembly 280 comprises two TECs at a single level, such as TEC 282A and TEC 282B. It can be noted that the elements of temperature control assemblies 200, 270, and 280 can be mixed, matched, removed, or added to form different temperature control assemblies.

[0065] Figures 3A to 3B A thermal chamber is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3A A thermal chamber in a closed position is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3B A thermal chamber in the open position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For illustrative purposes and not for limitation, the thermal chamber 300 is described in terms of relative positional relationships as shown by the three-dimensional (3D) axis 302. It will be noted that other relative positional relationships may be assigned to the thermal chamber 300 within the scope of this disclosure.

[0066] The 3D axis 302 includes an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis. As shown, the X-axis points forward and backward relative to the thermal chamber 300. The Y-axis points towards both ends relative to the thermal chamber 300. The Y-axis of the 3D axis 302 corresponds to the horizontal axis 304. The Z-axis points towards the top and bottom relative to the thermal chamber 300.

[0067] It can be noted that the hot chamber 300 may include one or more hinges, such as hinges 338A and 338B, which allow the hot chamber 300 to change from an open position to a closed position and vice versa. Figure 3A The hot chamber 300 is shown in the closed position. Figure 3B The hot chamber 300 is shown in the open position.

[0068] The following describes the positional relationship of multiple sides of the hot chamber 300 in the closed position. It can be understood that the hot chamber 300 can be transformed to... Figure 3B Another position (e.g., an open position) is shown to change some of the positional relationships of one or more of the plurality of sides. In an embodiment, the thermal chamber 300 includes a plurality of sides, such as a plurality of rigid sides. The plurality of sides include a rear side 308 oriented parallel to the horizontal axis 304, a front side 306 oriented parallel to the horizontal axis 304, an end 310A oriented perpendicular to the horizontal axis 304 (e.g., along the X-axis), and an end 310B oriented perpendicular to the horizontal axis 304 and positioned relative to the end 310A.

[0069] The multiple sides of the hot chamber 300 further include a top side 312 oriented perpendicular to the rear side 308, front side 306, end 310A, and end 310B. The multiple sides of the hot chamber 300 also include a bottom side 314 oriented perpendicular to the rear side 308, front side 306, end 310A, and end 310B. In an embodiment, in the closed position, the multiple sides form a chamber 316 enclosed by the multiple sides.

[0070] In some embodiments, the thermal chamber 300 is coupled to the frame 348. For example, the bottom side 314 of the thermal chamber 300 may be secured to the frame 348 using one or more fasteners. In some embodiments, the frame 348 may be used with a rack, such as... Figure 1 As shown in the figure. Although a single thermal chamber 300 is shown as being fixed to a frame 348, in some embodiments, one or more thermal chambers may be fixed to a particular frame.

[0071] In some embodiments, the top side 312 includes one or more ports 318 oriented along a first direction of the horizontal axis 304. It may be further noted that, for illustrative and not limiting purposes, the hot chamber 300 is shown as a single port 318 aligned along the horizontal axis 304. In other embodiments, the hot chamber 300 may include any number of ports 318 located anywhere relative to the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, the port 318 includes an open area (also referred to herein as “top side open area 320”) exposing a chamber 316 within the hot chamber 300. In embodiments, the port 318 is configured to receive temperature control components, such as relative to… Figures 2A to 2D The temperature control component 200 is described. The temperature control component 200 may be positioned relative to the hot chamber 300 such that the temperature control component 200 transfers heat energy to and from electronic devices exposed via the chamber 316.

[0072] In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of sides are made of one or more materials selected as thermal insulators, non-conductive materials, or antistatic materials. In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of sides may be composed of phenolic materials. In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of sides are made of conductive materials. In some embodiments, the thermal chamber 300 made of conductive materials may be grounded to a ground potential to help avoid electrostatic discharge damage at the electronic device under test.

[0073] In some embodiments, port 318 includes at least a pair of opposing sides, such as opposing sides 322A and 322B of port 318 (generally referred to herein as "opposing sides 322"). In some embodiments, port 318 may be associated with one or more fixing features. Fixing features allow temperature control assembly 200 to be fixed at the top side 312 of hot chamber 300 and align temperature control assembly 200 to contact electronics exposed in chamber 316 via the top side open area 312 of hot chamber 300. For example, fixing feature 324A is positioned adjacent to opposing side 322A of port 318. Fixing feature 324B is positioned adjacent to opposing side 322B of port 318. Fixing features 324A and 324B (generally referred to herein as "fixing feature 324") are associated with port 318 and allow the corresponding temperature control assembly 200 to be fixed at port 318. In some embodiments, fixing feature 324 includes a hole through the top side 312 of hot chamber 300. In one embodiment, each of the fixing features 324 is configured to receive an adjustable coupling member to adjustably couple the temperature control assembly 200 to the hot chamber 300 at port 318. The number, shape, and location of the fixing features are provided for illustrative purposes and not as a limitation. In other embodiments, the number, shape, or location of the fixing features may differ.

[0074] Turn Figure 3B In an embodiment, the hot chamber 300 includes a gas port 326. The gas port 326 may be configured to allow gas from an external gas source to enter a chamber 316 of the hot chamber 300. The gas port 326 connects an outer surface of the hot chamber 300 to the chamber of the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, the gas port 326 includes an aperture, such as a circular aperture, located at one of a plurality of sides. For example, the gas port 326 may be located at a front side 306, a rear side 308, an end 310A, an end 310B, a top side 312, or a bottom side 314 of the hot chamber 300. In an illustrative example, the gas port 326 is located at the rear side 308 of the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, the gas port 326 is fitted with a gas fitting 328 coupled to the gas port 326. In some embodiments, a portion of the gas fitting 328 may be adapted within the gas port 326, and another portion of the gas fitting 328 may extend outside the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, a portion of the gas fitting 328 extending outside the hot chamber 300 may be coupled to a gas hose that moves gas from a gas source into the chamber of the hot chamber 300.

[0075] In some embodiments, the thermal chamber 300 includes one or more adjustable supports, such as adjustable supports 344A, 344B, 344C, 344D, 344E, and 344F (generally referred to herein as "adjustable supports 344"). In some embodiments, the adjustable supports 344 are coupled (e.g., mounted) to the bottom side 314 of the thermal chamber and positioned perpendicular to the bottom side 314 of the thermal chamber 300. In some embodiments, each of the adjustable supports 344 includes two ends. A first end is coupled to the bottom side 314 of the thermal chamber 300, and a second end is coupled to an electronic circuit board 332 located above the bottom side 314 of the thermal chamber 300. The adjustable supports 344 form a vertical distance (e.g., space) between the bottom side 314 of the thermal chamber 300 and the electronic circuit board 332. For example, the adjustable feature 344A includes an end 346A mounted to the bottom side 314 of the hot chamber 300, and an end 346B extending above and perpendicular to the bottom side 314.

[0076] In some embodiments, one or more of the adjustable brackets 344 may include adjustable features, such as adjustable feature 330. The vertical position of the adjustable feature 330 can be adjusted. For example, the adjustable feature 330 may include one or more nuts, and the adjustable bracket 344A may include threaded bolts. The adjustable feature 330 can be rotated counterclockwise to move upward, or rotated clockwise to move downward toward the bottom side 314 of the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, an electronic circuit board 332 may be mounted to the adjustable bracket 344 and above the adjustable features of one or more of the adjustable brackets 344. For example, the electronic circuit board 332 may rest on the adjustable feature. The adjustable feature can be raised or lowered such that the electronic circuit board 332 can be raised or lowered by a similar distance.

[0077] In some embodiments, the electronic circuit board 332 may be electrically connected to the electronic system 252. In some embodiments, the electronic circuit board 332 is not implemented, and the electronic system 252 may be coupled within the thermal chamber 300 in a manner similar to that described with respect to the electronic circuit board 332.

[0078] In some embodiments, the electronic circuit board 332 includes four sides, a top surface, and a bottom surface, all of which are contained within the chamber 316 of the thermal chamber 300 in the closed position. The bottom surface of the electronic circuit board 332 may face the bottom side 314 of the thermal chamber 300.

[0079] In some embodiments, electrical connector 336 is coupled to electronic circuit board 332. Electrical connector 336 is configured to couple electronic system 252 to electronic circuit board 332. In some embodiments, electrical connector 336 is positioned above electronic circuit board 332. When electronic system 252 is inserted into electrical connector 336, electronic system 252 is positioned above electronic circuit board 332 such that a vertical space exists between the top surface of electronic circuit board 332 and the bottom surface of electronic system 252.

[0080] In some embodiments, the support feature 334 may be located between the top surface of the electronic circuit board 332 and the bottom surface of the electronic system 252. In some embodiments, the support feature comprises a non-conductive material, such as rubber. In some embodiments, the support feature 334 supports the electronic system 252 at a fixed position above the electronic circuit board 332. For illustrative purposes and not for limitation, the support feature 334 is shown as a pad positioned below the electronic system 252. In other embodiments, the support feature may comprise one or more adjustable supports mounted to the electronic circuit board 332.

[0081] In some embodiments, the electrical connector 342 is coupled to an electronic circuit board 332. In some embodiments, the electrical connector 342 is configured to couple the electronic system 252 to an external electronic system outside the thermal chamber 300 (e.g., Figure 1 Server 131).

[0082] In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of sides of the thermal chamber 300 may include an electrical connector access port 340. For example, an electrical connector access port 340 is shown at an end 310B of the thermal chamber 300. In some embodiments, the electrical connector access port 340 is configured to allow a first end of a cable to couple to an electrical connector 342, and a second end of the cable to extend through the electrical connector access port 340 and to the outside of the thermal chamber 300. For example, a ribbon cable may couple to the electrical connector 342. The ribbon cable may extend to the outside of the thermal chamber 300 and couple the electronic system 252 (and the electronic circuit board 332) to a server, for example. Figure 1 Server 131. The server can send signals to and receive signals from electronic system 252 via ribbon cable.

[0083] In some embodiments, one or more humidity sensors 350 may be located within chamber 316 of the thermal chamber 300. The humidity sensor 350 senses the humidity level within chamber 316. For illustrative purposes and not for limitation, the humidity sensor 350 is shown coupled to an electronic circuit board 332. In other embodiments, the humidity sensor 350 may be located anywhere within the thermal chamber 300.

[0084] In some embodiments, the hot chamber 300 may include one or more hinges, such as hinges 338A and 338B (generally referred to herein as "hinge 338"). The one or more hinges may be coupled to any one or more sides of the hot chamber 300. For example, hinge 338A is coupled to end 310B and front side 306. Hinge 338 is configured to allow the hot chamber 300 to transition between an open position and a closed position, and vice versa. Hinge 338 is configured to allow the top side 312 of the hot chamber 300 to rotate about a rotation axis. The rotation axis may be parallel to or perpendicular to the horizontal axis 304.

[0085] Figures 4A to 4B A system is shown that tests an electronic system under various thermal conditions according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4A A thermal testing system 400 is shown in an enlarged view according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4B A folded view of a thermal testing system 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. It can be noted, for example... Figures 2A to 2D Temperature control components such as temperature control component 200 can be used with system 400 or are part of system 400. It can also be noted that, for example, Figures 3A to 3B The hot chamber 300 and other hot chambers can be used with the system 400 or are part of the system 400. Figures 2A to 2D Temperature control component 200 and Figures 3A to 3B The components of the hot chamber 300 are used to help explain. Figures 4A to 4B All aspects.

[0086] System 400 (e.g., also referred to herein as “thermal testing system 400”) can be used to test one or more electronic devices of one or more electronic systems under various thermal conditions as described herein. In some embodiments, system 400 may include electronic circuit board 332. Electronic circuit board 332 may be coupled to one or more electronic systems 252 under test. In some embodiments, electronic circuit board 332 may facilitate the transmission of electrical signals to and from one or more electronic devices 250, and to and from any additional components or systems coupled to electronic circuit board 332. In embodiments, electronic circuit board 332 may facilitate the transfer of power to and from one or more electronic devices 250 and to and from any additional components coupled to electronic circuit board 332. For example, one or more humidity sensors may be coupled to electronic circuit board 332, and electronic circuit board 332 may power said one or more humidity sensors. In some embodiments, electronic circuit board 332 may be coupled to an external system, such as a server. An external system via the electronic circuit board 332 can be used to transmit commands to perform read, write, or erase operations at the electronic device 250 of the electronic system 252 during thermal testing. Furthermore, the external system can be used to retrieve information or test data from the electronic device 250 during thermal testing.

[0087] In some embodiments, the thermal chamber 300 may include one or more ports 318. One or more ports 318 may expose a chamber within the thermal chamber 300. An electronic system 252 is coupled to an electrical connector of an electronic circuit board 332. Electronic devices 250 of the electronic system 252 may be accessed from the ports 318.

[0088] In some embodiments, the temperature control component 200 is coupled to the top side of the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, a port 318 of the hot chamber 300 is configured to receive the temperature control component 200. In some embodiments, a bottom portion of the temperature control component 200 extends within the chamber of the hot chamber 300 and is coupled to at least some electronic devices 250 of the electronic system 252 to transfer thermal energy to and from the respective electronic devices 250. A top portion of the temperature control component 200 extends above the top side of the hot chamber 300.

[0089] For example, the top portion of a temperature control component 200, such as a heat sink, may extend above the thermal chamber 300. The bottom portion of the temperature control component 200, such as a thermally conductive layer 214 and a thermal pad, may extend within the thermal chamber. In some embodiments, the thermal pad physically contacts the top surface of the electronic device 250. The temperature control component 200 may transfer heat to and from the electronic device 250. For example, the temperature control component 200 may vary the temperature of the electronic device 250 (e.g., package temperature or die temperature) within a temperature range of -40 degrees Celsius to 140 degrees Celsius.

[0090] In some embodiments, the temperature control component 200 may be coupled to the thermal chamber 300. In some embodiments, the thermal chamber 300 may be used to hold the temperature control component 200 in place. In some embodiments, the thermal chamber 300 may align the temperature control component 200 with the electronic device 250 of the electronic system 252, such that the bottom portion of the temperature control component 200 may be coupled to the respective electronic device 250. In embodiments where the thermal chamber 300 includes multiple ports for holding multiple temperature control components 200, the use of adjustable coupling elements in the thermal chamber 300 may allow each of the temperature control components 200 to apply similar, equal, or constant pressure to each of the electronic devices in the respective electronic system. Multiple temperature control components 200 may simultaneously apply different temperatures to the electronic devices of different electronic systems within the thermal chamber 300.

[0091] In some embodiments, the temperature control assembly 200 may include an attachment component, such as... Figures 2A to 2D The attachment member 224. In an embodiment, the thermal chamber 300 may include a fixing feature, such as... Figures 3A to 3BThe fixing feature 324. In some embodiments, the adjustable coupling member can be coupled to the attachment member of the temperature control assembly 200 and the fixing feature 324 of the hot chamber 300 to adjustably couple the temperature control assembly 200 to the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, the attachment member and the fixing feature are configured to receive the adjustable coupling member, which can adjustably couple the temperature control assembly 200 to the hot chamber 300. In some embodiments, the adjustable coupling member may include a spring element that allows adjustment of the vertical position of the temperature control assembly 200 mounted to the hot chamber 300.

[0092] In some embodiments, a positive pressure environment is formed within the chamber of the hot chamber 300 using gas injected into the chamber. In some embodiments, instead of hermetically sealing the hot chamber 300, the hot chamber 300 (e.g., the chamber within the hot chamber 300) may be maintained at a positive pressure environment such that the only gas entering the hot chamber 300 originates from a gas port, and the only gas escaping the hot chamber 300 is gas from the gas port. In some embodiments, the hot chamber 300 may include a gas port to receive a gas, such as oil-free air (OFA), nitrogen, or clean dry air or gas (CDA). In some embodiments, the gas may have a dew point below the expected cold temperature range during testing. In some embodiments, the gas may have less than 1 part per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide and less than 0.003 ppm of hydrocarbon vapor. The hot chamber 300 can be used to control the environment near the electronic device 250 during testing. In an embodiment, the gas supplied to the hot chamber 300 has a dew point below the lowest temperature at which the electronic device 250 will be tested. This gas is supplied to the heated chamber 300 so that condensates, such as moisture or ice, do not form at the electronic device 250 during testing. For example, the package of the electronic device under test can be controlled within a temperature range of -25 degrees Celsius to 140 degrees Celsius. The dew point of the gas can be below -25 degrees Celsius (e.g., -90 degrees Celsius). When the temperature control assembly 200 applies a temperature of -25°C to the electronic device under test, condensates will not form at the electronic device due to the low dew point of the gas supplied within the heated chamber 300.

[0093] In embodiments, instead of using hot or cold gases to change the temperature of the hot chamber 300, the temperature control assembly 200 can maintain a local temperature environment for the electronic device 252 under test. In embodiments where the hot chamber 300 includes multiple temperature control assemblies 200 coupled to multiple electronic systems 252, each of the temperature control assemblies 200 can be independently controlled and maintain a different (or the same) temperature at the electronic device of the corresponding electronic system under test, without using hot or cold gases. For example, a first electronic device of a first electronic system under test can be coupled to a first temperature control assembly. A second electronic device of a second electronic system under test can contact a second control assembly. Both the first and second temperature control assemblies can be coupled to a single hot chamber. The first temperature control assembly can maintain the temperature at the first electronic device at 100 degrees Celsius, while the second temperature control assembly can maintain the temperature at the second electronic device at 0 degrees Celsius.

[0094] Figure 5 This describes an example machine of computer system 500, within which a set of instructions for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein can be executed. In some embodiments, computer system 500 may correspond to including, being coupled to, or utilizing a test platform (e.g., to perform operations corresponding to...). Figure 1 The machine is a host or server system (operating the resource allocator component 130). In alternative embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a LAN, intranet, extranet, and / or the Internet. The machine may operate as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment or as a server or client machine in a cloud computing infrastructure or environment, or within the capacity of a server or client machine in a client-server network environment.

[0095] The machine can be a personal computer (PC), tablet PC, set-top box (STB), personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular phone, network appliance, server, network router, switch, or bridge, or any machine capable of executing (sequentially or otherwise) a set of instructions specifying actions to be taken by said machine. Furthermore, while a single machine is described, it should be understood that the term "machine" also includes any collection of machines that individually or collectively execute a set of instructions (or multiple sets of instructions) to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein.

[0096] The example computer system 500 includes a processing device 502, a main memory 504 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) (e.g., synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)), etc.), a static memory 506 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a data storage system 518, which communicate with each other via a bus 530.

[0097] Processing device 502 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices, such as microprocessors, central processing units, etc. More specifically, the processing device may be a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) microprocessor, a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microprocessor, a Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor implementing other instruction sets, or a processor implementing a combination of instruction sets. Processing device 502 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), network processors, etc. Processing device 502 is configured to execute instructions 526 for performing the operations and steps discussed herein. Computer system 500 may further include a network interface device 508 for communication via network 520.

[0098] Data storage system 518 may include machine-readable storage medium 524 (also referred to as computer-readable medium) on which one or more sets of instructions 526 or software embodying any one or more of the methods or functions described herein are stored. Instructions 526 may also reside wholly or at least partially within main memory 504 and / or processing device 502 during execution by computer system 500, which also constitute machine-readable storage medium. Machine-readable storage medium 524, data storage system 518, and / or main memory 504 may correspond to a memory subsystem.

[0099] In one embodiment, instruction 526 includes instructions for implementing a component corresponding to a resource allocator (e.g., Figure 1 The resource allocator component 130) contains functional instructions. Although the machine-readable storage medium 524 is shown as a single medium in the exemplary embodiment, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be considered to include a single medium or multiple media storing one or more sets of instructions. It should also be considered that the term "machine-readable storage medium" includes any medium capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions executable by a machine and causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methods of this disclosure. Therefore, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be considered to include, but is not limited to, solid-state memory, optical media, and magnetic media.

[0100] Some parts of the previously described descriptions have been presented based on algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within computer memory. Those skilled in the art of data processing use these algorithms to describe and represent the main points of their work in the most effective way to communicate them to others skilled in the art. An algorithm herein is generally considered to be a self-consistent sequence of operations that produce a desired result. These operations are those requiring physical manipulation of physical quantities. These quantities are typically, but not necessarily, in the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient, sometimes, primarily for reasons of general use, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, etc.

[0101] However, it should be remembered that all these and similar terms should be associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels for application to those quantities. This disclosure may relate to the actions and processes of a computer system or similar electronic computing device that manipulate and transform data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the registers and memories of a computer system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system's memory or registers or other such information storage systems.

[0102] This disclosure also relates to apparatus for performing the operations described herein. Such apparatus may be specifically constructed for its intended purpose, or may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in a computer. Such computer programs may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk (including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, each coupled to a computer system bus.

[0103] The algorithms and demonstrations presented herein are inherently independent of any particular computer or other device. Various general-purpose systems can be used with programs based on the teachings herein, or it may be convenient to construct more specialized devices to perform the methods. The structures of various such systems will be presented as described below. Furthermore, this disclosure is described without reference to any particular programming language. It will be understood that the teachings of this disclosure as described herein can be implemented using a variety of programming languages.

[0104] This disclosure can be provided as a computer program product or software, which may include a machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that can be used to program a computer system (or other electronic device) to perform processes according to this disclosure. The machine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storing information in a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) form. In some embodiments, the machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) medium includes machine-readable storage media, such as read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory components, etc.

[0105] The terms “example” and / or “exemplary” are used herein to mean serving as an example, illustration, or description. Any aspect or design described herein as “example” or “exemplary” should not necessarily be construed as superior to or better than other aspects or designs. In fact, the use of the terms “example” or “exemplary” is intended to present concepts in a specific manner. As used herein, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless otherwise specified or clearly apparent from the context, “X contains A or B” is intended to mean any natural inclusive arrangement. That is, if X contains A; X contains B; or X contains both A and B, then “X contains A or B” is satisfied in any of the foregoing examples. Additionally, the article “a / an” as used herein and in the appended claims can be generally interpreted as meaning “one or more” unless otherwise specified or clearly apparent from the context. Furthermore, the use throughout the document of the terms “implementation” or “an embodiment” or “an example” is not intended to refer to the same implementation or embodiment unless so described. The one or more embodiments or examples described herein may be combined in a particular embodiment or example. As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc., are intended as labels to distinguish different elements and may not necessarily have ordinal meanings according to their numerical designations.

[0106] In the foregoing description, embodiments of this disclosure have been described with reference to specific examples thereof. It will be apparent that various modifications can be made to this disclosure without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the embodiments set forth in the appended claims. Therefore, the description and drawings should be viewed in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.

Claims

1. An apparatus for temperature control, the apparatus comprising: a first thermoelectric component (TEC) including a top surface and a bottom surface, the first TEC configured to simultaneously raise a temperature of the top surface and lower a temperature of the bottom surface of the first TEC or simultaneously lower the temperature of the top surface and raise the temperature of the bottom surface based on a voltage potential applied to the first TEC to transfer thermal energy between the top surface and the bottom surface of the first TEC; a thermal transfer component including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermal transfer component is coupled to the bottom surface of the first TEC; a second TEC including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the second TEC is coupled to the bottom surface of the thermal transfer component; and a thermally conductive layer including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermally conductive layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the second TEC, wherein the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer includes a planar region, and wherein the planar region of the thermally conductive layer is to be positioned over two or more electronic devices of a plurality of electronic devices of an electronic system to transfer the thermal energy at the two or more electronic devices, wherein the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer further includes a notched region, wherein the planar region intersects the notched region, and wherein the notched region includes a void in the thermally conductive layer that extends in a vertical direction from the planar region toward the top surface of the thermally conductive layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive layer further includes a front side, a back side, a first end, and a second end, and wherein the notched region extends from the front side to the back side of the thermally conductive layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the planar region at the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer intersects the notched region to form a first planar region and a second planar region, wherein the first planar region and the second planar region are oriented parallel to a plane and oriented the same vertical distance from the plane.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the notched region of the thermally conductive layer is to be positioned over at least one electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices to isolate the at least one electronic device from the transfer of the thermal energy.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a thermal pad including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermal pad is coupled to at least the planar region of the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the thermal pad includes a material that is thermally conductive, an electrical insulator, and compressible.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a heat sink including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface of the heat sink is coupled to the top surface of the first TEC to transfer the thermal energy from the first TEC to the heat sink.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: ​ a plurality of attachment components of the heat sink for receiving a plurality of adjustable coupling components to adjustably couple the device to a thermal chamber.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising: an electric fan disposed over the top surface of the heat sink to transfer the thermal energy from the heat sink to an adjacent medium.

10. A system to test a plurality of electronic devices under a plurality of thermal conditions, the system comprising: an electronic system including the plurality of electronic devices; and a temperature control assembly positioned over two or more electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices and to transfer thermal energy at the two or more electronic devices, the temperature control assembly comprising: a first thermoelectric assembly (TEC) including a top surface and a bottom surface, the first TEC configured to simultaneously raise a temperature of the top surface of the first TEC and lower a temperature of the bottom surface or to simultaneously lower the temperature of the top surface and raise the temperature of the bottom surface based on a voltage potential applied to the first TEC to transfer the thermal energy between the top surface and the bottom surface of the first TEC; a heat transfer assembly including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the heat transfer assembly is coupled to the bottom surface of the first TEC; a second TEC including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the second TEC is coupled to the bottom surface of the heat transfer assembly; and a thermally conductive layer including a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermally conductive layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the second TEC, wherein the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer includes a planar region, and wherein the planar region of the thermally conductive layer is to be positioned over the two or more electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices to transfer the thermal energy at the two or more electronic devices, wherein the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer further includes a notched region, wherein the planar region intersects the notched region, and wherein the notched region includes a void in the thermally conductive layer that extends in a vertical direction from the planar region toward the top surface of the thermally conductive layer.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a thermal chamber including a plurality of sides, wherein a side of the plurality of sides includes a port that exposes a chamber within the thermal chamber, wherein the port is configured to receive a bottom portion of the temperature control assembly within the chamber, and wherein a top portion of the temperature control assembly extends externally to the thermal chamber.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the thermally conductive layer further includes a front side, a back side, a first end, and a second end, and wherein the notched region extends from the front side to the back side of the thermally conductive layer.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the planar region at the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer intersects the notched region to form a first planar region and a second planar region, wherein the first planar region and the second planar region are oriented parallel to a plane and oriented the same vertical distance from the plane.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the notched region of the thermally conductive layer is to be positioned over at least one electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices to isolate the at least one electronic device from the transfer of the thermal energy.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a thermal pad comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermal pad is coupled to at least the planar region of the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer.

16. An apparatus for temperature control, the apparatus comprising: a first thermoelectric component (TEC) comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the first TEC configured to simultaneously raise a temperature of the top surface and lower a temperature of the bottom surface or simultaneously lower the temperature of the top surface and raise the temperature of the bottom surface of the first TEC based on a voltage potential applied to the first TEC to transfer thermal energy between the top surface and the bottom surface of the first TEC; a thermal transfer component comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermal transfer component is coupled to the bottom surface of the first TEC; a second TEC comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the second TEC is coupled to the bottom surface of the thermal transfer component; and a thermally conductive layer comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermally conductive layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the second TEC, wherein the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer comprises a planar region and a notched region, wherein the planar region intersects the notched region, and wherein the notched region comprises a void in the thermally conductive layer that extends in a vertical direction from the planar region toward the top surface of the thermally conductive layer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the thermally conductive layer further comprises a front side, a back side, a first end, and a second end, wherein the planar region of the thermally conductive layer is to be positioned over two or more electronic devices of a plurality of electronic devices of an electronic system to transfer the thermal energy at the two or more electronic devices, wherein the notched region extends from the front side to the back side of the thermally conductive layer, wherein the notched region of the thermally conductive layer is to be positioned over at least one electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices to isolate the at least one electronic device from the transfer of the thermal energy.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a thermal pad comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the thermal pad is coupled to at least the planar region of the bottom surface of the thermally conductive layer.

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